NATO's Baltic vigilance: War relics defused, suspicious ships deterred
The Belgian commander of the NATO ship group, Commander Erik Kockx, stated on Tuesday in Stockholm that since the commencement of the "Baltic Sentry" mission in January, there have been no incidents involving damage to underwater infrastructure, such as cable breakages. However, he highlighted that suspicious manoeuvres by some commercial ships have been observed.
What do you need to know?
- Operation 'Baltic Sentry': Since January, NATO has been patrolling the Baltic Sea to prevent incidents such as the cutting of underwater cables.
- Suspicious manoeuvres: Commander Erik Kockx noticed unusual behaviour from commercial ships, which ceased when NATO vessels approached.
- Neutralisation of threats: In the Gulf of Riga, nine explosive devices from the World Wars have been neutralised.
When we approached their area of activity, they suddenly changed course and continued their voyage as if nothing had happened," reported Kockx, noting that it is difficult to clearly determine whether these were attempts at sabotage.
NATO ships in the Baltic – commander: Vigilance is necessary
On Tuesday, a group of NATO units, including minehunters and ships equipped for underwater operations from Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Estonia, departed the port of Frihamnen in Stockholm after replenishing supplies.
In addition to monitoring sea activity, the ships participating in Baltic Sentry are neutralising unexploded ordnance from World War I and II. Commander of the Swedish minehunter Ulvön, Mathias Hagberg, reported that a few days earlier, nine explosive devices had been rendered harmless in the Gulf of Riga.
The military is supported by artificial intelligence
He reminded us that unexploded ordnance can pose a real threat, for example, being accidentally caught by fishermen or washed ashore.
Commander Kockx will lead the mission until June, after which the Latvians will take over for the next six months. He reminded us that the activities within Baltic Sentry are not just about the presence of naval units but also involve cooperation with air forces, coast guards, police, and other services of the Baltic countries. The military is supported by artificial intelligence in the analysis of ship movements.
